Child Dies From Bacteria; Parents Had Voiced an Appeal to Clinton

A child whose parents appeared on President Clinton’s electronic town meeting earlier this month became the third person to die from an outbreak of food poisoning, doctors said.

The boy, 17-month-old Riley Detwiler, died Saturday at Seattle Children’s Hospital from respiratory failure brought on by an infection with the E. coli bacteria, they said.

His parents, Darin and Vicki Detwiler, appeared on Clinton’s Feb. 11 electronic town meeting to ask him to move quickly on health reform and to improve the U.S. system of meat inspection.

The death is the third linked to an outbreak of food poisoning caused by E. coli that began in early January and has caused more than 450 people in Washington state to become ill.

According to the state health department, 94% of the cases have been tied to Jack in the Box restaurants.

The Detwilers contend that their son was infected by the bacteria at his day care center from another child who had eaten at Jack in the Box.

During the town meeting, Vicki Detwiler told the President the family faced a staggering health bill because her husband lost his job--and the family’s medical insurance--just two days before their son fell ill.

According to state health officials, frozen hamburger patties taken from the Jack in the Box restaurants were found to be heavily contaminated with E. coli bacteria.